Container opening key



Oct. 1 5, 1935. J HQTHERSALL 2,017,062

- CONTAINER OPENING KEY Filed June 23, 1935 Patented Oct. 15, 1935UNlTED. STATES PATENT OFFICE:

John M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, N. Y.,'assignor to American Can Company,New York, N. Y., a corporation oi New Jersey Application June 23, 1933,Serial No. 677,331

' 1 Claim. (01. 22o 52) This invention relates in general to key openingsheet metal containers and has more particularly for its object theprovision of an improved opening key for expeditiously removing atearing strip or area from a wall of a container to open the containerand permit its being emptied.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improvedkey for effectively removing a tearing strip or tearing area defined bya score line or score lines in a wall of a sheet metal container, thekey being adapted when in a vertical position, to first puncture thestrip or area at a fixed point adjacent the score line, and adapted,when in a horizontal or pivotal position, to have separate meansinsertable in said puncture so that pivoting of the key initially breaksthrough the container wall on-the score line and further pivoting orrotation of the key severs the metal at the base of the score line andwinds shank which, when held in a vertical position, is

off the strip or area upon the key.

An important object of the invention is the provision of .an improvedopening key having a adapted to produce a puncture adjacent a score lineand having also a transversely extending part which, when the key isheld in a horizontal position is adapted to enter said'puncture and,break the metal of a container wall beneath said score line to moreeasily start the tearing oi the metal at an exact position on the scoreline.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an opening key fora scored container, which is inserted into an exact position relative tothe score line and which first breaks through the score line byutilizing a short leverage, giving easy initial tearing of the metal,the key thence utilizing a longer leverage for more rapidly winding theremovable area on the key as the container is opened.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such animproved key adapted to produce an initial puncture of the, tear awayarea while held in vertical position, inwhich position the weight of theoperator's hand can best be utilized for efiecting an easy puncture.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a containerdiscloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

and a key embodying the present invention and illustrating the initialtearing of the score line in -,the opening operation;'

depressed point adjacent the score line where i the initial puncture isproduced;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the sharp point of thekey shank puncturing the tearing area adjacent the score line;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig.3, iilus- I trating thetransverse lug extension of the key shank in different openingpositions;

Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the key shown in Fig. l, as seen from itstop; and j Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the key as itlooks turned upside down.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thedrawing disclose a sardine container of the roll top type, having adrawn body II and sewer or top 12 secured in any suitable manner as by adouble seam l 3. The-top I2 is countersunk and comprises a flat panelhaving a removable area l4 set oiI by a score line 15, which iscutpartially through the wall of the cover. A plurality of defined keyinserting or puncturing positions (two being illustrated) are set off inthe removable area It of the cover wall by depressions 15, (Figs. 1 and2), at the ba:.: of which the metal may be weakened. These depressionsare located at a predetermined distance from the score line l5adjacentthe ends 01 the container and just within or inside of the scoreline.

An opening key 2| (Figs. 6 and '7) is formed (preferably blanked from asingle piece of suitable sheet metal) with a finger engaging, oblong,head 22, having a centrally located circular perforation 23, whichpermits the key to be strung on a wire or hung on a nail. The key 2| isprovided with a shank 24, bent to provide spaced 40 parallel side wallsor flanges 25 and 26v joined by a connecting wall or back 21.

The flanges 25 and 25 terminate longitudinally at 28 and 29, and theback wall 21 terminates into a triangular puncturing spear 3|, havingits ex- 4 tremity tapered into a sharp cutting point 32.

A laterally extending arm or lug 33 is formed on the shank, between thepoint 32 and the flange 25, as an integral part of the back 21 and theflange 25. This lug is slightly curved as shown 50 and its peripheraledge is blunt and rounded.

In opening the container the key is held in vertical position (Fig.3),with the sharp point 32 a weakened by scoring,

of the spear 3| is stopped by the transverse lug thumb, 'index andmiddle 33 and the flange 26. t v

The key is then withdrawnvertically, and the curved lug II is insertedin the opening created by the spear 3|.

The key is now in edgewise, horizontal position with the lug 33 pointingtowards the bottom of the container. A clockwise quarter turn of thek'eybrings the-lug 3; into the position shown in Fig. 4, with the rounded,blunt edge of the lug directly under and in alignment with the scoreline it. Further key forces this edge upwardly, tearing the metalunderneath the score line for an initial breaking oi the score asillustrated in Fig. l. The length 01' the lug 33 determines the leverageof the key in this initial tearing movement, and this being relativelyshort, makes an easyppening or severing through the container wall.

Further rotation of the key brings the edge of the flange 26 against thetop wall of the tearing area ll (Fig. 5) and this edge thereupon beofthe comes the fulcrum on which the key further piv ots. The metal of theremovable area It engaged by the lug 33 is thus bent back and is finallywound upon the key during its continued rotation. The leverage oi thekey beginning with its 5 iulcruming movement just describedissubstantially twice the leverage utilized by the lug IS in the initialsevering. This increases the rapidity with which the removable area llis torn away along the score line it, the latter tearing much 1 easierafter it has been initially broken.

It is thought that the invention and many of. its attendant advantageswill be understood from. the foregoing description, and it will beapparent thatvarious changes may be made in the term, 15 a constructionand arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages. the formhereinbeiore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

1 claim:

A key for opening cans, constructed of sheet metal substantially U-shapein cross-section, the median web of said key terminating in an axiallyaligned can-puncturing element, one of the side 25 flanges oi the keyhaving a lateral extension for engagement with the opening made by saidpuncturing element to remove a portion'oi the container by a rollingmovement of said key. I

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL.

